Hello

9 December 2016

Here's how it works: The Recent Releases chart brings together critical reaction to new albums from more than 50 sources worldwide. It's updated daily. Albums qualify with 5 reviews, and drop out after 6 weeks into the longer timespan charts.

8.0 |
The Observer

8.0 |
Rolling Stone

Heaven is more musically compact than the band's last album, 2008's Stay Positiv
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8.012017

8.0 |
The Quietus

Maybe they are just getting older, which is fine, as this is a band who has always grasped positive vibes from the move toward greyness. Indeed, that is the very point of this beautifully unglamorous gang of a band
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8.012046

8.0 |
Daily Telegraph

This fifth record is more spirited, translating the departure of their keyboard player into a leaner, hard-riffing sound
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8.012380

8.0 |
Rave Magazine

Living vicariously through the lives of others is rarely this entertaining or satisfying
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7.211884

7.2 |
Beats Per Minute

Great bands always struggle to match their past musical output. Take it for what it is – a guitar-centric party rock record – and it won’t disappoint
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7.012068

7.0 |
The Sunday Times

7.0 |
No Ripcord

There are some missteps on this album, but the last line on the record, which comes at the end of the seven-minute closer, is a perfect sign-off: “This shouldn’t hurt, but you might feel a slight discomfort”
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7.012015

7.0 |
The Line Of Best Fit

This is no longer an experiment in repurposing some of the most outre moments of pop rock; it’s an institution and each album’s success rests on its songs. Rejoice: Heaven is Whenever delivers
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7.011960

7.0 |
Blurt

Given the band's skill and experience, it's not surprising that most of the album's strongest tracks are riff-rockers. As for the experiments, sometimes they work, sometimes they don't
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6.511882

6.5 |
Bowlegs

Still depicts street level America, and the band still sound like a stadium filling bar-room rock band, whilst the energy and unapologetic attitude is as blatant as ever
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6.211904

6.2 |
Pitchfork

Despite the confidence of that opening track, Heaven Is Whenever sounds like a transitional album, hopefully paving the way for something stronger, more cohesive, more specific.
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6.011907

6.0 |
PopMatters

This album gives us a new energy, one that comes on subtly, that earns its way through, and will last a lot longer than Holly’s high used to
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